Combined closure and valve operating



Feb. 21, E; A RES COMBINED CLOSURE AND VALVE OPERATING MEMBER Filed Oct. 2, 1952 Z all INVENTOR. JOHN E. AYPES BY 4%,, gw

Q'T'TOQNEY6 by a tubular member 18 I top of the container.

United States Patent COMBINED CLOSURE AND VALVE OPERATING MEMBER John E. Ayres, Elizabeth, N. 1., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Oil Equipment Laboratories, Incorporated, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 2, 1952, Serial No. 312,784

- 4 Claims. (Cl. 222394) The present invention relates to a combined closure and valve operating member for a pressurized container. An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive closure and valve operating member for a valve controlled opening in a pressurized container through which the contents of the container may be dispensed and by means of which the dispensing of the contents of the container may be controlled. Another object of the pressure invention is to provide a closure and valve operating member which prevents accidental discharge of the contents of a pressurized container and which eliminates the necessity for threaded parts in the valve or closure. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent and best understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a container having a closure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the closure and a portion of the container illustrated in Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is a section view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section view of a modified form of closure embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is a pressurized container of the type which may be used for dispensing various kinds of products such as shaving cream, cosmetics or the like.

The container 10 has a top 11 which has an opening therein. Surrounding the opening and spaced therefrom are sidewalls 12 which are formed by depressing the surface of the top adjacent the opening therein. The bottom of the depressed area has an upwardly inclined surface 13 surrounding the opening therein which forms a valve seat and a flange 14 extends upwardly from the inclined surface 13 and extends around the opening in the top of the container.

A valve stem 15 extends top of the container and slidably 14. The top or upper end of the valve stem 15 projects above the top of the container. The other end of the valve stem 15 which is located inside of the container carries a washer 16 of resilient material which is urged into sealing engagement with the inclined surface or valve through the opening in the engages with the flange 'seat 13 on the top of the container by a compressible pring 17.. One end of the spring 17 engages with the ower end of the valve stem and the other end is supported that is attached to and supported surrounding the opening in the The lower end of the tubular is of a reduced diameter with to which a siphon tube from the side-walls 12 member 18 is open and a flange surrounding the opening 19 maybe attached.

The top of the valve stem 15 which projects above the top of ,the container is enclosed by a combined closure The closure and valve material such as polyethylene or rubber and consists of 2,735,590 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 a body 20 having a chamber therein which is open at one end. The open end of the body is attached to the top of the container by engagement with the side-walls 12 surrounding the opening therein with the chamber in the body enclosing the top of the valve stem and communicating with the opening in the container.

The chamber in the body 20 also has a discharge outlet 21 which may be connected to a dispensing spout 22 as shown in Fig. 3. However, if desired, an atomizing nozzle may be fitted in the discharge outlet as shown in Fig. 4.

A flexible diaphragm 24 forms the top of the chamber in the body 20 and extends over the top of the valve stem 15. The diaphragm 24 is accessible through an opening in the top of the body 20 so that it may be depressed manually to engage with the top of the valve stem 15. By pressing down on the valve stem 15 in this manner the spring 17 is compressed and the washer 16 is moved out of engagement with the valve seat 13. This permits the contents of the container to be discharged through the opening in the container into the chamber in the body 20 and then through the discharge outlet 21 therein.

To prevent the contents of the container from being discharged accidentally, a cover 25 is provided to close the opening in the top of the body 20 leading to the diaphragm 24. The cover 25 has a portion 26 which fits into the opening in the top of the body and the portion 26 has a bead 27 on its outer surface which engages with a groove 28 in the sidewalls of the opening to hold the cover in place. The head 27 may be readily disengaged from the groove by lifting up the cover 25 and the cover 25 is hinged to the body 20 by a flexible strap or hinge 29 so that it cannot be misplaced or lost. When the cover 25 is removed from the opening in the body, it will assume the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

As will be seen from the foregoing the combined closure and valve operating member may be molded in one piece and it does not require the use of threaded parts for the valve or closure. It will be understood that a. closure made in accordance with the present invention may be used in conjunction with other types of valves than that illustrated and described herein.

It will also be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A dispenser and valve operating unit for a pressurized container which comprises a body having a chamber therein and having a discharge passageway communicating with said chamber, one end of said body telescopically engaging with side walls formed on a container, said end of the body having an opening therein communi eating with the chamber in the body and with a valve controlled opening in the container, 2. flexible diaphragm extending across and closing the other end of said chamber, side-walls extending upwardly from the body above said diaphragm and defining an opening in the body above the diaphragm, a cover removably fitted in said opening to the diaphragm and a flexible strap connecting said cover to the body.

2. A dispenser and valve operating unit as defined in claim 1 which includes interengaging means on the cover and the side-walls defining the opening in the body above the diaphragm for holding the cover in place.

3. A dispenser and valve operating unit for a pressurized container comprising a one piece molded body of resilient material, said body having a chamber therein and having a discharge passageway communicating with said chamber, said chamber being open at one end for communication with a valve controlled opening, a flexible diaphragm formed integrally with the body, said diaphragm extending over and closing the other end of the chamber in the body, side-walls on the body extending upwardly above said diaphragm and defining an opening in the body above the diaphragm, a cover removably fitted in said opening above the diaphragm and a flexible strap connecting the cover to the body, said cover and strap being formed integrally with the body.

- 4. A dispenser and valve operating unit as defined in claim 3 which includes interengaging means on the sidewalls defining the opening above the diaphragm and the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,633,197 Snyder June 21, 1927 4 Soffge Apr. 17, Lobl May 14, Clark Dec. 10, Shaw Mar. 16, Roeder July 20, Henricson Mar. 6, Sjolin Dec. 25, Michel Sept. 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 17, 

